The Wrap: All things healthy for the former Outliers space

An update on last week’s news about the former Outliers Eatery building on the West End in Portland: The new occupants of 231 York St. will be Stewart and Liz Strawbridge of South Portland, who are opening a nonprofit integrative medicine community space in the building. According to Liz Strawbridge, who is a medical doctor, the center will be called The Bridge and include a second location for LB Kitchen, the cafe on Congress Street owned by Lee Farrington and Bryna Gootkind. LB Kitchen serves healthful breakfasts and lunches, including grain-and-vegetable bowls, salads, and dishes made with bone broth. Snacks range from superfood smoothies and tandoori turmeric popcorn to chia pudding and vegan chocolate cake.

The Bridge will have a teaching kitchen and an urban garden, as well as a studio for practicing yoga, dance, music and meditation. Strawbridge says the space “will be offering medicine that realigns us with nature’s rhythms in the form of food, movement, connection, acupuncture, music and art, bodywork, functional medicine and primary care.”

Other partners in the project include Rocky Coast Family Acupuncture, Lila East End Yoga and Maine Integrative Healing.

WILL BRAKE FOR FOOD

Food truck season is rolling around again, and barbecue fans will be happy with this latest development. The Fahrenheit 225 food truck – a big black trailer with a pig on the side – announced last week that it is now parking at 1321 Washington Ave. in Portland from noon to 6 p.m. every Wednesday through Friday; that’s the corner of the Northport Business Plaza.

Pitmaster Al Clark and his wife, Linda, serve pulled pork and pulled chicken sandwiches, ribs, sausage and chili, and they make their own rubs and sauces. Their signature menu item is the “Pigs Gone Solo,” a red Solo cup filled with a layers of cornbread, beans, pulled pork, and coleslaw, and topped with a rib.

Back Cove and Payson Park are nearby, so afterward you can go for a walk/run/bike ride and work it off.

A new crepe food truck called Crêpe Elizabeth will debut at Fore River Brewing Co., 45 Huntress Ave., South Portland, on Saturday from 4 to 9 p.m., serving both sweet and savory crepes.

ONE LOST; SECOND HAS A PRAY

Just two Mainers qualified as James Beard Foundation Award finalists this year. Erin French, chef/owner of The Lost Kitchen in Freedom, was nominated for a book award, in the American cooking category, for her cookbook “The Lost Kitchen: Recipes and a Good Life Found in Freedom, Maine.” The book award winners were announced Friday night, and French was not among them. The winner in her category was “The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen” by Sean Sherman with Beth Dooley.

Ned Swain, owner of Devenish Wines, and Sara Jenkins, chef/owner of Nina June in Rockport, are teaming up for a dinner celebrating the food and wines of Umbria, a region of Italy that borders Tuscany. Jenkins grew up in Umbria and owned a beloved restaurant in New York City called Porchetta, named for an Umbrian roasted pork sandwich. The menu may include first courses such as sformato, a savory Parmigiano cheese custard with fresh pea sauce; and torta al testo, which is something like a pizza stuffed with bitter greens. Second course options include porchetta (pork) and agnello (grilled thin lamb chops served with anchovy butter and olive oil mashed potato).

Swain will pair the food with wines from small farms that he discovered while running (yes, running) through Umbria.

The dinner will be held May 10. For reservations, call 236-8880. Seatings begin at 5:30 p.m.

SHOWING THEIR LAMB CHOPS

Four Portland chefs are once again competing with a dozen other New England chefs in the Boston Lamb Jam on May 20. If you love lamb, this is your go-to event for watching chefs cook it and tasting their creations from four regions: Asian, Latin, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern.

Sponsored by the American Lamb Board, the Boston Lamb Jam is the second stop in the national competition. Winners are named in each category, and the “Best in Show” champion advances to the finale to compete with winners from around the country. There’s also a “People’s Choice” award.

Maine chefs have done well in past competitions. The Honey Paw, represented by Thomas Pisha-Duffly, won three of the six categories in 2016, including “Best in Show,” with his Smoked Lamb Khao Soi with Egg Noodles, Burmese Coconut Curry, Fermented Mustard Greens, Crispy Noodle and Lime.

This year, The Honey Paw will be represented by Lars Taylor. Other participating Portland chefs are Chris Gould, chef/co-owner of Central Provisions and Tipo; Niko Regas, executive chef of Emilitsa; and Austin Miller, chef/co-owner of Mami.

The event will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. at the SoWa Power Station, 540 Harrison Ave. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased at americanlambjam.com.

Here at MaineToday Media we value our readers and are committed to growing our community by encouraging you to add to the discussion.

To ensure conscientious dialogue we have implemented a strict no-bullying policy. To participate, you must follow our Terms of Use. Click here to flag and report a comment that violates our terms of use.